I know there's some talk in your communities about the Patriot Act. Let me tell you about the Patriot Act right quick. We're in a new war, a different kind of war. We need to be able to share information across jurisdictional boundaries at the federal level. Do you realize, prior to September the 11th, 2001, the CIA could not pass information to the FBI, or vice versa? By law, they were prohibited from sharing information. How can you fight a war against terrorists who hide in dark corners of the world and maybe slide into our country if you can't share information? We need the CIA and the FBI to be able to talk to each other. (Applause.)
As I said in the State of the Union, many of the provisions in the law have been used to catch embezzlers or criminals. We need to make sure those provisions stay in the law. We're at war. We're trying to hunt terrorists. It's a different kind of war.
In the old days, you know, you could measure progress based upon tanks destroyed or airplanes brought down to earth, you know, by missiles or air-to-air combat. It's no longer the way it is in the 21st century. We're on an international manhunt. We have to find these people before they come and get us. And in order to do so, we need the best intelligence and the capacity to share that intelligence across jurisdictional boundaries. The Patriot Act is vital for our security, and Congress needs to renew it. (Applause.)